The summer figures are in for the Algarve’s sick and injured tourists, with beach-based medical centres treating over 8,000 tourists.
According to the Regional Health Administration of the Algarve, these local consultations contributed to a significant easing of pressure on the region’s hospitals.
An additional 4,500 tourists visited special tourist consultation areas at 12 heath centres with 8,433 treated at one of 32 pop-up centres on the region’s beaches.
The beach-based scheme ran from 4 July to 18 September with centres established in locations including Sagres, Alvor, Carvoeiro, Armação de Pêra, Albufeira, Quarteira, Almancil, Olhão, Tavira, Altura, Vila Real de Santo António and Alcoutim.
The beach stations were run in collaboration with the Red Cross and staff sorted out medical conditions and injuries that easily could be treated on site or, if necessary, patients were shipped off to the most appropriate hospital or clinic.
Down on the beaches, 2,808 people were treated for stings, bites and puncture wounds, 1,031 for blood pressure problems, 294 had injections and 279 had blood glucose tests.
The beach stations with the highest number of visits during this summer were Monte Gordo (681), Manta Rota (660), Armação de Pêra (543) and Armona (424).
The regional health authority board highlighted "the very positive results achieved by this initiative, both for citizens and for the health teams at the various units where their commitment and daily professionalism contributed to ensure an effective and efficient response from a health service operational point of view."
Figures earlier in the summer showed that three quarters of those treated lived outside the Algarve.
